Down Cloverlaine: June 2009

Thursday, June 25, 2009

An Oldie

For those of you who read this blog (does anyone actually read it?), you might remember the Trucking Along bib that I did for the 2009 Dishcloth Calendar. The design has been released back to me and so I thought I would post it. This was definitely designed for the boys, but then again, who's to say that a girl can't play with trucks too?

This green bib was done with Cascade 220 Superwash wool and I used U.S. 4 needles. By using the thinner yarn and smaller needles, the bib is smaller. A perfect size to capture all that lovely drool!

Have you checked out the new online magazine yet? It's Petite Purls and it's devoted to infants, toddlers and children. It's like Knitty only for kids! The editors contacted me about submitting a design, but unfortunately, I can't make the next deadline, as I'm off to Rhode Island for a week to help my son after his upcoming surgery.

When I get back, I'll also post the directions for the bib I designed for the girls for last year's calendar. In the meantime, I hope the rain here in New England will finally end and we'll have some nice weather for a change. It's been raining so much, I now have mushrooms growing in my window boxes!!

Trucking Along Bib

Copyright 2008 by Elaine Fitzpatrick. Permission is granted to make and sell items from this pattern provided that credit is given to me as the designer. Permission is not granted to reproduce the actual pattern, or post it, or distribute it, without my express permission. Please respect my copyright and play nice!

Difficulty: Easy

Size: approximately 8.75" from neck edge to bottom and 8" wide

Materials: One skein of worsted weight cotton if you are using the bib for meals. If, on the other hand, you want to use it as a “drool” bib, I recommend using a superwash wool. The cotton has a tendency to absorb the moisture, whereas the superwash wool will wick the moisture and keep baby nice and dry!

Needles: Size 6
Gauge: 4.5 sts. per inch, not critical

Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
sts. = stitches
dec. = decrease
dpn. = double pointed needle
B5 = seed stitch border

Pattern Notes: The edges of the bib are worked in seed stitch over the first and last five stitches (k1, p1, k1, p1, k1) and are referred to as “B5”. You might find it helpful to insert a marker after the first five stitches and before the last five stitches.

When you reach the I-cords on the bib, it is helpful, but not necessary, to drop down a needle size to make the cords slightly smaller.

Pattern: Cast on 12 sts.

Row 1: (right side) k1, p1, across row.
Row 2: Cast on 3 sts., k1, p1 across row. (15 sts.)
Row 3: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1 across row (18 sts.)
Row 4: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1, across row (21 sts.)
Row 5: Cast on 3 sts., k1, p1, across row (24 sts.)
Row 6: Cast on 3 sts., k1, p1, across row (27 sts.)
Row 7: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1, across row (30 sts.)
Row 8: Cast on 2 sts., k1, p1, across row (32 sts.)
Row 9: Cast on 2 sts., p1, k1, across row (34 sts.)
Row 10: Cast on 2 sts., k1, p1, across row (36 sts.)
Row 11: Cast on 2 sts., p1, k1, across row (38 sts.)
Row 12: k1, p1, for 13 sts.; p12 sts.; p1, k1, for 13 sts.
Row 13: p1, k1, for 12 sts.; k14 sts.; p1, k1 for 12 sts.
Row 14: k1, p1, for 11 sts.; p16 sts.; p1, k1, for 11 sts.
Row 15: p1, k1, for 10 sts.; k18 sts.; p1, k1 for 10 sts.
Row 16: k1, p1, for 9 sts.; p20; p1, k1 for 9 sts.
Row 17: p1, k1 for 8 sts.; k22; p1, k1 for 8 sts.
Row 18: k1, p1 for 7 sts., p24; p1, k1 for 7 sts.
Row 19: p1, k1 for 6 sts.; k9; p3; k7; p3; k4; p1, k1 for 6 sts.
Row 20: k1, p1 for 5 sts; p4; k1; p3; k1; p5; k1; p3; k1; p9; p1, k1 for 5 sts.

(Note: From this point on, the first and last five stitches are the seed stitch border. (B5) It might be helpful to place a marker for these stitches.)

Row 21: B5; k9; p1; k3; p1; k5; p1; k3; p1; k4; B5.
Row 22: B5; p4; k1; p3; k1; p5; k1; p3; k1; p9; B5.
Row 23: B5; k6; p4; k3; p7; k3; p3; k2; B5.
Row 24: B5; p2; k1; p2; k3; p5; k1; p1; k3; p3; k1; p6; B5.
Row 25: B5; k6; p1; k7; p1; k10; p1; k2; B5.
Row 26: B5; p2; k1; p10; k1; p7; k1; p6; B5.
Row 27: B5; k6; p1; k7; p1; k10; p1; k2; B5.
Row 28: B5; p2; k1; p10; k1; p7; k1; p6; B5.
Row 29: B5; k7; p3; k4; p1; k10; p1; k2; B5.
Row 30: B5; p2, k1; p10; k1; p3; k1; p10; B5.
Row 31: B5; k10; p1; k3; p1; k10; p1; k2; B5.
Row 32: B5; p2; k1; p10; k5; p10; B5.
Row 33: B5; k14; p12; k2; B5.
Row 34: B5; p28; B5.
Row 35: B5; k28; B5.
Row 36: B5; p28; B5.
Row 37: B5; k28; B5.
Row 38: B5; p28; B5.
Row 39: B5; k5; p3; k7; p3; k10; B5.
Row 40: B5; p9; k1; p3; k1; p5; k1; p3; k1; p4; B5.
Row 41: B5; k4; p1; k3; p1; k5; p1; k3; p1; k9; B5.
Row 42: B5; p9; k1; p3; k1; p5; k1; p3; k1; p4; B5.
Row 43: B5; k2; p3; k3; p7; k3; p4; k6; B5.
Row 44: B5; p6; k1; p3; k3; p1; k1; p5; k3; p2; k1; p2; B5.
Row 45: B5; k2; p1; k10; p1; k7; p1; k6; B5.
Row 46: B5; p6; k1; p7; k1; p10; k1; p2; B5.
Row 47: B5; k2; p1; k10; p1; k7; p1; k6; B5.
Row 48: B5; p6; k1; p7; k1; p10; k1; p2; B5.
Row 49: B5; k2; p1; k10; p1; k4; p3; k7; B5.
Row 50: B5; p10; k1; p3; k1; p10; k1; p2; B5.
Row 51: B5; k2; p1; k10; p1; k3; p1; k10; B5.
Row 52: B5; p10; k5; p10; k1; p2; B5.
Row 53: B5; k2; p12; k14; B5.
Row 54: B5; p28; B5.
Row 55: B5; k28; B5.
Row 56: B5; p28; B5.
Row 57: B5; k28; B5.
Row 58: B5; p28; B5.
Row 59: (right side) B5; k 8; k1, p1 for 12 sts.; k8; B5.
Row 60: B5; p 7 sts.; k1, p1 for 14 sts.; p7 sts.; B5.
Row 61: p1, k1, for 6 sts.; k 5 sts.; k1, p1 for 16 sts.; k 5 sts; p1, k1, for 6 sts.
Row 62: k1, p1, for 7 sts.; p 3 sts.; k1, p1, for 18 sts.; p 3 sts.; p1, k1, for 7 sts.
Row 63: p1, k1, across row.
Row 64: k1, p1 across row.

Shoulder Shaping:

Row 65: k1, p1 for 13 stitches; bind off the next 12 stitches knitwise, and work the remaining stitches in the established seed stitch. You should have 13 sts. on each side.

Next row: p1, k1 across and place first 13 stitches on a holder. Work on remaining 13 sts. as follows:

Note: As you look at the bib, this will be the left side. All the decreases are made on right side rows. I have included a couple of tips below.

(Right side) Dec. 1 st. at neck edge every other row 2 times. (11 sts.)

(Tip: I find it easiest to decrease these neck stitches by slipping the first stitch knitwise, then knitting the next stitch, and passing the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch. Because the cotton is heavy, it can be a little difficult to slip two stitches and then knit them together.)

Work one row.
(Right side) Dec. 1 st. at shoulder edge every other row until 5 sts. remain. (For these decreases, you should knit the last two stitches together.)

Work one row.
(Right side) Dec. 1 st. at neck edge and 1 st. at shoulder edge. 3 sts.
Slip these 3 sts. to a dpn and work an I-cord for approximately 12 inches. Fasten off and run end down through middle of I-cord. Don’t worry if the I-cords look a little wonky. A firm tug will usually straighten them out and after the bib is washed, you won’t even notice! A good tutorial for making the I-cords can be found here: http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-tips

Join yarn to neck edge and work right side to correspond to the left side.

(Tip for right shoulder) Join the yarn at the neck edge and knit across row. On the next row (right side), decrease at the neck edge by knitting the last two stitches together. For the shoulder edge, decrease by slipping the first stitch knitwise, knitting the next stitch, and then passing the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch.)
Weave in ends.

Trucking Along Cloth

Sunday, June 14, 2009

PDF Files

I had to get a new server to host all the pdf files. I think that's what my technical advisor (aka my son, the engineer) told me. There are too many patterns for the space available and, as much as I'm happy to provide you with the pdfs, I don't like you that much to pay for more space, especially since they're all free to begin with! I'm technically challenged when it comes to this stuff, but my son has a superduper website that can handle my files. Therefore, I'm in the process of changing the address, so if you are having problems downloading a pattern, give it a day and try again! I'll do them as soon as I can. Of course, you can always just copy and paste from the original posts.

Rhonda's Delight

Is there anyone who hasn't knitted Rhonda White's
Darrell Waltrip's Dishcloth ? It's a great cloth especially for showing off all those gorgeous variegated cottons. Plus, it's so much fun to knit! Since I always seem to pick up balls and balls of ombre, I thought it was time to come up with a design to actually use some of them. What better way than to combine my favorite dishcloth pattern with a bib. I originally did this for the 2009 Dishcloth Calendar, but since it's been a year, the design has been released back to me. This is a really quick bib to knit, as once you have the pattern established, you don't really need to look at the directions and it's easy to tell where you left off.

Down Cloverlaine